Supporting the provider care market to go digital and use technology safely

IPC recently hosted a webinar on Tuesday 4th June , focussing on supporting the provider care market to go digital and use technology safely. We were joined by colleagues from the IPC Commissioning Course Alumni Network, as well as colleagues from across the UK including adult social care commissioners and care providers.

Fiona Richardson Director, Institute of Public Care, discussed why digitalisation in adult social care was important, including the requirement to be vigilant on cyber security and the role of commissioners. This was complemented by offering headline messages from the 2024 National Adult Social Care Cyber Security Survey.

Daniel O’Shaughnessy - Head of Programme Delivery for Better Security, Better Care - offered an overview of the Better Security, Better Care Programme, detailing the free support available to commissioners and providers of care to reach standards of data security. Tajinder Bains, from Kare Plus, contributed to this presentation from a care provider’s perspective, offering his perspective on the benefits of the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) available to providers to ensure they have robust data security arrangements. Tajinder also said that the adoption of technology is a journey that requires staff engagement and buy-in of the company vision and values. Tajinder encouraged colleagues to celebrate milestones with the wider team, such as the testing of new technology and go live launch date. Also to assess feedback on what works well, or not, that might require further development.

Finally, we heard from Matilda Moss - Head of Service, Integrated Commissioning at Buckinghamshire Council - who shared their local approach to data security within the Local Authority, as well as with their local providers of care, and their learnings from cyber security attacks in their local area.

Attendees asked and spoke about their own experiences of cyber attacks, using the DSPT, as well as considering some of the skill and digital maturity required to support providers of care to have good data protection practices.

Attendees felt that data security training is needed for Local Authorities and Providers, alike, and the Better Security, Better Care Programme can support this. It was agreed that it is everyone's responsibility to take part in the data security and data integrity in care, ensuring we are all working towards the same goal of meeting standards for data protection.

We also heard about the importance of proactively approaching care providers to discuss data security, and work collaboratively so providers feel supported to report any data breaches or security attacks with their commissioners.

Other key messages included:

• Not forgetting the basics - for example, require providers to be compliant with the DPST within contract arrangements;
• Not waiting for something to go wrong before taking action;
• The importance of sharing learning when things do go wrong - for both Local Authorities and Providers.

The slides and time-limited recordings of this webinar are available on the Online Forum for members of our IPC Commissioning Course Alumni Network.